I think one of the biggest risks for men in a relationship, is taking the car, your at risk from cameras in bus lanes, speed cameras, parking tickets, and should you have a bump, all that would take some explaining, why you were there. And be careful when you do park up, your number is exposed to nosey neighbors. Much safer on public transport.
This is true. I switch between SA and punting as my mood/funds/interests permits and these two incidents both happened while on my way to SA meets but could have just as easily happened while out on a punt
1. Speed camera nab! I expected I might have been caught, and kept a very close eye on the post. It came and I went on a speed awareness course to avoid the fine. The location of the actual speed camera was somewhere that I had no excuse to be, luckily ‘er indoors believed the fake location i stated I was in
2. Summer 2021 and I was heading to a meet and my alibi took me to one location, but in reality I was on a different major road on my way to an entire other town. I was on a dual carriageway and as I approached an exit (not the one I wanted) saw that just ahead on the dual carriageway, all the traffic was queued at a standstill. I knew that if I turned off, i could take an alternate route and hopefully not be late for the meet. So, last few seconds, impulsively I turned off, it was a split second thing.
On the way back from the meet a while later, as I approached that same junction on my return journey (so from the opposite direction) the road ahead was closed and this time I have no choice but to leave the dual carriageway. As I approached the exit and took the slip road, I could see emergency vehicles everywhere. Probably 20 or so. It was by now dark, and the darkness was pierced by dozens of flashing blue lights. Like from a movie. The roundabout over the top of the dual carriageway was still open and my new route home meant I had to go around the roundabout, crossing the dual carriageway below, using the roundabout above. Below was a scene of carnage. Absolute nightmare scenario.
I was shaken up by what I saw, plainly something terrible had occurred. Reading the news afterwards, it seemed that as I headed to meet the girl and took a last second decision to leave my planned route on the dual carriageway, around one minute later, as the traffic continued to slow and stop to join the queue, a lorry driver ploughed into the stationary traffic queue at 58 mph. Later it transpired he was using his phone to set up online dates and never saw the queue. His lorry took 330 feet from impact to stop. Three people died in that crash. I was literally there a minute or so before. Maybe that last second decision saved my life. Or at least being caught up in a major accident where i could have been injured, had my car damaged, or just been very very late home.
Any of which would have been a difficult convo at home as I should never have been there. I look back on it and think how lucky I was that night. Three people were much less lucky. The lorry driver is serving a substantial jail term. After he was sentenced the video from his truck dash cam was made public. Literally you can see the exit slip I took as he ploughs into the traffic, and how close I’d have been to being fully involved. It was truly my lucky day
So be safe out there chaps